In contrast, in chordate cells, including mouse and human cells, dsRNA and other nucleic acids associated with viral infection trigger cytosolic innate immune pathways that induce the production of type I IFNs (mainly IFNα and IFNβ) and type III IFNs (IFNλ) (Goubau et al,2013; Schneider et al,2014; Wu & Chen, 2014; Schlee & Hartmann, 2016) (Fig 1). This evidence concerns the gene IFNA1 and viral infectious disease.